Fractured Web: Gazan Writing Online
In this discussion moderated by Khalid Hadeed (Cornell University) and featuring academic discussant Helga Tawil Souri (NYU); Somaya al Sousi and Fatena al Ghorra contextualize their work within the broader landscape of Palestinian literature online, while Adania Shibli (co-editor Narrating Gaza) discusses the way in which such platforms foster literary community and discourse.
Background Information
Throughout its history, Gaza and its surrounding region has been controlled by external forces. During World War I, Gaza became part of the British mandate of Palestine. Following the 1948 Arab Israeli War, Egypt administered the newly formed Gaza Strip, and in 1967 the Gaza Strip was captured by Israel in the Six-Day War. In 1994, administration of the Gaza Strip was transferred to the Palestinian National Authority. Following the 2011 Egyptian uprisings, Egyptian involvement in the blockade of Gaza ended, potentially marking a new period of increasing mobility and literary production.
Event Details
This event will explore the points of contact and departure between the literary voices that emerged throughout the last sixty years. In the conversation that ensues, which features young and emergent writers alongside established authors, we trace the fractured genealogy of literature in Gaza. Palestinian writers will discuss the increasing presence of literature online, and will explore the way contemporary writing has been shaped by the Internet. Each writer works in multiple platforms so that their literary voices encompass poetry, prose, and journalism.
A reception will follow the panel.
Cosponsor
ArteEast
For more information on ArteEast see: http://arteeast.org.
This program is curated by Khalid Hadeed and Barrak Alzaid and made possible with generous support from the A.M. Qattan Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the Center for Palestine Studies at Columbia University.
Room 509, Knox Hall
Columbia University